Cruz del Sur II by Xerjoff

Cruz del Sur II is a tropical based fragrance by the high end designer, Xerjoff. This is a scent I was wanting to try for a while now, so I tested it out and have collected my thoughts on it. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is this perfume actually worth a try?

What does Cruz del Sur II Smell Like?

Notes include: mango, pineapple, apple blossom, musk, vetiver, cedar, floral notes, milk, violet leaf, and more

Click here to try: Cruz del Sur II

My Full Review

Here’s how Xerjoff describes this scent: a luxuriant journey into the tropical rainforests of South America. Characterised by the fresh and fruity top notes of mango, pineapple and apple blossom, this exotic scent opens into a blossoming heart of green leaves and floral bouquet.

Cruz del Sur II is a fragrance that I have wanted to test out for quite a while. I was hoping to find another good tropical and unisex perfume to use during the summer months and Xerjoff seemed like a brand to have a good one.

I will say, this wasn’t as unisex as I’d hoped. Definitely more of a traditionally women’s fragrance. Leans way more towards that end.

I also purchased a 10mL sprayer of Desire II by Dua, which is their inspired by scent of Cruz del Sur. Yes, it’s like 95% the same, so get that one for a cheaper price.

Anyway, on to how it smells. Cruz del Sur II opens with it’s tropical fruits on full display. Mango is going to be the strongest here, so, know that before you decide to buy.

But, the other fruits sort of combine into more of a amalgamation of aromas. What this smells like to me is a glass of orange juice infused with mango juice. Kind of sharp, but nice enough.

However, that fruit juice cocktail is then spiked with milk. Coming into testing, I was thinking that this would just be a creamy finish, much like Sunset Fantasy by Britney Spears. Just a unisex and more tropical fruit version. That Britney note is ‘frothed milk’.

Nope, it’s actually the smell of milk. Not terrible, put kind of weird, and I’m not too enthralled by Cruz II in its early stages.

But, this does begin to shift into something that is less milky and almost a vanilla/powdery undertone to it. Maybe more like a milkshake and less like a glass of milk, is a way to put it.

The orange juice like smell kind of fades. The mango comes into its own. You have some musk and non-distinct floral notes that probably give this that slight bit of powder, that I am picking up on.

Outside of that, there is really only a little bit of wood popping through. Mango, the fruits toned down, the milky/vanilla/powder, and some musk.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, you do get a bold start here, nice scent trail, and a projection that emanates from the skin. This will diminish over the span of between 1-2 hours. Yet, for most of the wear this is solidly above average and not just an intimate scent bubble. 

The longevity is pretty good here. It goes over 8 hours on my skin, maybe up to 9 hours at its best. It’s solid and it doesn’t just fall off quickly. 

Seasonally, this is mostly a summer scent, and the tail end of springtime. A mango infused milky aroma, doesn’t really do much for you in the dead of winter.

This is more of a fun and casual wear. It’s not formal, not really sexy, just playful and can be pleasant to be around. A well put together fruity aroma, that has energy and a delicious kind of quality to it.

Not the most versatile perfume out there, but still has its uses.

Overall Impressions of Cruz del Sur II

Overall, do I like Cruz del Sur II? I like the dry down aspect of it. The opening isn’t terrible, it just feels kind of off. The mango is nice, the mix of the guava and other notes, less so. That milk? Not for me.

The performance is good and this is a scent that has plenty of fans who love that tropical vibe. I myself, enjoy tropical scents quite a lot. I’m disappointed that this wasn’t really all that unisex and am not enthralled with the fragrance itself. It still has its charms, though.

Is it blind buy worthy? No. Actually, as I said the comparable ‘Desire II’ by Dua smells nearly identical to Cruz del Sur II. As such, it makes way more sense to save your money and get that instead, if you really want to try out this type of mango mix. Performance on that, is actually better too.

Best Men's Colognes

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.